


The Phantom Touch That Lingers

by Camelittle



Series: Convalescence [7]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst, Crushes, Dream Sex, Injury Recovery, Longing, M/M, Masturbation, Mutual Pining, Sexual Frustration, Unresolved Sexual Tension
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-15
Updated: 2015-04-15
Packaged: 2018-03-23 02:31:54
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,740
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3751048
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Camelittle/pseuds/Camelittle
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Arthur dreams, he dreams with all his senses.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Phantom Touch That Lingers

**Author's Note:**

> Written for the "Dream" square on my [Merlin Writers Quickie Bingo](http://merlin-writers.livejournal.com/161477.html) card.

The air was filled with Merlin’s cologne. He’d caught a brief waft of it when Merlin had embraced him so unexpectedly as the party began, and it still clung to the lapel of Arthur’s dress shirt. Breathing deeply, Arthur closed his eyes, and leaned forward. Merlin tasted of wine and honey, his mouth was warm and soft at first, admitting Arthur, beckoning him to swirl his tongue in deeper. Merlin’s hand lay hot along Arthur’s cheek, tilting Arthur’s face in towards his, and his lips and tongue responded with an urgency that made Arthur feel breathless with the sheer thrill of it.

They broke apart for a second.

“I’ve wanted to do that for so long,” said Merlin, husky-voiced. “That and more. So much more. You have no idea.”

Arthur couldn’t help the mirth bubbling up into a half-laugh. “I may have some inkling,” he said. “I may have thought about it a couple of times.” He might have added more, but his mouth was suddenly busy, and when Merlin’s hand drifted down his torso towards his aching groin all thoughts escaped him for a second. He tilted his hips forward, unconsciously, to meet that welcome pressure, and groaned.

Pushing Merlin up against the wall, he hooked his fingers beneath the tight fitting belt of Merlin’s jeans and dragged him in closer, burying his face into Merlin’s suddenly-naked neck to inhale that tantalising scent more deeply. Merlin complied eagerly, the evident bulge in his jeans pressed hard up against Arthur’s answering erection. With a wave of Merlin’s hand they were both naked, as if by magic, with Merlin’s questing hands slick and urgent against Arthur’s cock. Merlin's skin was pale butter-gold with a faint trail of black hairs, but his cock was rosy and thick. Fascinated, Arthur spread his fingers around it, as Merlin panted, gusts of breath hot and heavy against Arthur's ear, desperately seeking release. Arthur was dimly aware of a growing pain in his injured arm and along his injured thigh, and he tried to ignore it, his hand swift and slippery against Merlin’s ramrod-hard cock, but the pain became too much.

He woke up suddenly, heart pounding, and found himself lying on his bad side with his dick still painfully erect and leaking against the warm sheets. Groaning, Arthur turned painfully onto his back and cupped his aching balls in the palm of his good hand, waiting for his heart to slow and his breathing to ease, but it was no good. His cock was on autopilot and had programmed itself onto a one-way journey.

Accepting defeat, Arthur swept his good hand from root to tip, his breath hitching with every stroke. It wouldn’t take long, even taking it slow. Merlin’s scent was still alive in his head, and the memory of his warm, lithe body lined up along Arthur’s, albeit only for a second, filled him with a kind of longing that made his cock weep. He was right on the edge, it would only take the slightest pressure to push him over.

Spreading his legs wide, he pressed his good hand into the tender crease behind his balls and gently pressed one questing finger into his taint. The angle was difficult, and his flexibility was poor after his accident, but he was near the edge and his imagination was fast closing the distance. With his mind’s eye, he replaced his finger with Merlin’s blunt cockhead.

Feeling his cock lift away from his body he took pity on it and brought his hand back for one final rapid wank. Heat surged through him and he came with a cry, coating his chest all the way up to his chin.

After he had returned to himself he felt a bleak, self-deprecating smile flit across his lips. God, he must be desperate. Pining for a former employee like that. With an effort he swivelled his hips until he was at the edge of the bed, and, grabbing his stick with his good hand, shuffled over to the basin to clean himself up. The sheets would need attention, too.

Since that fateful party, all those weeks ago, Arthur’s dreams had been filled with compromising visions of Merlin in various states of undress. Shirtless Merlin against the wall, hot and panting; naked Merlin on the bed, sly and seductive; Semi-undressed Merlin bent over his desk, groaning with need. But it was no good. Arthur didn’t need a nurse any more, and the agency had deployed Merlin elsewhere. Their professional relationship had ended, and all Arthur was left with were his dreams, his regrets, and his soiled nightclothes.

To avoid falling into a pit of morose introspection, Arthur pulled on his gym clothes and limped, stick in hand, down to the car. At least he had his freedom now that he could move his leg and arm more freely. Easing into first gear, he pointed the nose of his Range Rover down the drive outside the west wing, and headed off to Gwaine’s gym with in a scrunch of gravel under his tyres.

After their initial mutual coolness he and Gwaine were fast becoming firm friends. It might have been something to do with the way that he’d found Gwaine in the kitchen, later on the night of the party, demonstrating a lewd act involving his detached prosthetic and a mound of vodka jelly to a fascinated Elena. It was impossible not to like someone as brazen as that. And of course it was something to do with the fact that underneath all that bravado lay an inner strength, and a quiet, can-do attitude. Plus, it turned out that the professional sports injury rehab unit where Gwaine worked employed a range of professionals that included physiotherapists and sports psychologists. It was exactly the sort of place where Arthur could focus on both his mental and physical recovery.

That's where he headed now.

*

“Morning, Percy.” said Arthur, making his way towards the exercise bikes.

Percy, a genial giant, nodded and smiled. “Morning.” Sweat glistened on his forehead.

Percy had a rugby-induced leg injury, albeit without the complication that Arthur had with the knackered shoulder, and was working on improving his range of motion in his knee and on strengthening his legs post-surgery. They had developed a rapport over the weeks of working together under the close eye of Mithian, the physio.

Arthur’s progress was slow and painful, but the great thing was that he could feel himself getting stronger - not every day, perhaps, but certainly week on week - and from time to time could even imagine himself getting back on a horse one day.

Carefully mounting the machine, with the aid of a grab bar, Arthur typed in the program he’d been given for the day, and got to work.

After his work-out he was tired and sore, but it felt good to get his heart rate up and his lungs working. He had to be careful not to push his wasted muscles as hard as he wanted, but he was full of hope, and the post-exercise endorphins had banished his earlier melancholy. After a bracing shower, he made his way into the tiny gym cafeteria to replenish his reserves over a cuppa. He could see through the frosted glass of the cafe that someone was sitting at one of the tables, and grinned.

“Hey, Percy,” he called as he pushed through the door. “You forgot your towel, you idiot! Why a grown man would feel the need to have a Doctor Who towel has always escaped me, but I suppose it means it won’t get nicked.... Oh! You’re not Percy!”

“Hello Arthur!”

“Merlin!” Arthur frowned at the accusing note that had entered his own voice.

Standing up and crossing the room, Merlin beamed at him. “Arthur. You’re walking!”

Arthur rolled his eyes. “Well, yeah, ten out of ten for observation, Merlin! Were you always this perceptive?”

“Good to see your temper has improved, anyway!” said Merlin, laughing. “I just popped in to see how you were getting on. And…” his voice trailed off, and he swallowed. “...Erm.”

It must have been the post-work-out glow that filled Arthur with this sudden sense of overwhelming joy. It surely couldn’t just be pleasure at seeing Merlin again, after all these weeks. Could it?

“Good to see you, full stop,” said Arthur, smiling. “I was just thinking about you, earlier.” He didn’t mention the circumstances under which he was thinking about Merlin, but he did feel himself pink a little. It was a good thing he was already flushed from the exertion.

“Funny that,” said Merlin, and he was definitely blushing, too, great scarlet highlights blooming on his cheeks. “I was thinking about you too.” He bit his lower lip.

Arthur couldn’t help wondering why Merlin looked so hot. It wasn’t as if he had just spent an hour and a half trying to get wasted muscles to work. Mentally he leaped to a logical conclusion, and hope burst across his chest like a rosebud blossoming into gorgeous bloom.

“Well,” he said, clapping Merlin on the shoulder. “Fancy a cuppa?” It was only now that Arthur realised that he was nearly as tall as Merlin. Mostly in their past interactions Arthur had been either sitting down or lying down, while Merlin had been standing up. It was wonderful to be on a level at last.

“Yeah!” Merlin beamed at him again, eyes lost in a maze of crinkles and twinkles. “I’d like that a lot. I haven’t got to be at work for another hour! Hey, did I hear right that Gwen is pregnant?”

“Yeah! Tell me about it! Where am I going to find another estate manager as competent as her? It’s rude, that’s what it is.”

They sat and gossiped for what seemed like only a minute or two before Merlin looked at his watch again and rose to his feet with a sigh.

“I missed you, you know,” said Arthur, abruptly, grabbing Merlin’s hand.

Merlin swallowed. “I missed you too,” he said, squeezing it, eyes suddenly seeming large and dark.

“Don’t be a stranger,” said Arthur, holding Merlin’s gaze.

Merlin nodded and smiled. “Okay.”

And from then on, more often than not, Merlin would be in the cafe at the gym when he finished his workout, and gradually, without questioning it, they seeped deeper and deeper into each other’s lives - as equals, this time, which was good. But it wasn't enough.

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: not my characters, I'm not getting paid.


End file.
